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'liMtna'ts'  &\\V6ioea. 


H\sVoit’i|  iV»« 


A\\«iCtca.  'mevaxnon'V . . 


4 


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'Kzl  V)  ^l  i 


UNIVtRSiT 


''/  -s  I ‘ !'k- 


\ 


OF  THE 


.5diJi5b««»^  ^■ 

iW 

R#^iS>I  S T O FI  Y 

'^E  MOVEMENT. 

In  the  Spring  89ci^^  IpK  - Westekn  Eural,  alarmed  at  the  rapid  strides 
which  monopolyi'ffi?ffii^^f{ling  toward  the  absolute  enslavement  of  the 
producers  of  the  which  its  editor  and  publisher  was  and  is  one,  de- 

termined to  do  ^^^ifySSlSftld  to  arouse  our  farmers  to  iv'tion  to  the  end  that 
their  rights  nii^fi^^^fi^iServed  and  equality  before  the  law  established.  Other 
questions,  sucMte^lfi^^itable  system  of  taxation,  a reform  in  our  patent 
laws,  and  th  of  that  great  outrage  upon  honest  producers — the 

adulterationxST^^ki^oducts,  also,, urgently  demanded  attention  and  action. 
At  that  timJB^  mirf^y  had  no  nietropolitan  journal  to  advocate  his  cause, 
and  with  aBdihe  ^4l\ter  that  superior  numbers  give,  he  was  really  helpless  and 
pretty  nearly  Tf^Tfess.  The  influence  of  the  press  and  platform  was  against 
him,  and  his  efforts  to  obtain  justice  were  unmercifully  ridiculed  by  both. 
Whenever  he  made  an  effort  to  devise  means  for  his  escape  from  the  encroach- 
ments of  pow'erfully  backed  evils,  the  language  of  the  press  Avas  scathingly 
severe,  and  it  required  far  more  than  ordinary  courage  for  a meeting  of  farm- 
ers to  assemble.  Within  a very  few  years  farmers  assembled  in  council  in 
Chicago  and  at  Decatur,  111.,  were  so  outrageously  treated  by  the  newspapers 
that  forbearance  almost  ceased  to  be  a virtue,  and  at  Decatur  a sturdy  farmer 
was  so  incensed  and  deeply  hurt  that  he  actually  did  seize  a reporter  of  a Chi- 
cago journal,  and  shook  him  until  the  upstart  piteously  begged  for  mercy. 
Under  such  circumstances,  an  attempt  to  champion  the  cause  of  the  oppressed 
and  maligned,  was  one  of  decided  danger.  Millions  of  capital,  most  of  the 
public  writers  and  speakers,  and  fashion— always  a formidable  opponent— was 
TOi  the  other  side.  The  agricultural  press,  capable  of  doing  so  much  if  it 
would,  was  content  to  confine  itself  to  purely  agricultural  information,  and 
never  ventured  to  resent  the  insults  given  to  its  supporters.  There  was  abso- 
lutely nothing  in  the  way  of  the  steady  advancement  of  existing  evils  to 
more  colossal  proportions.  The  victories  which  the  people  had  gained  in  the 
J courts  over  the  railroad  monopoly  seemed  to  have  been  forgotten  by  our  pro- 
>'  ducers,  and  wholly  disregarded  by  the  roads,  which  were  carrying  a high  and 
'p  defiant  hand.  The  prospect  of  utter  ruin  to  a journal,  which,  single-handed, 
should  take  a stand  in  opposition  to  all  this  power,  was  about  as  good,  and  a 
little  better  than  was  that  of  success,  and  the  only  earthly  reason— we  say  it 


History  of  the  Alliance  Movement. 


for  general  encouragement— that  The  West  »n  Bubal  was  not  ruined  and 
the  cause  crushed  at  the  very  begiianing,  is^hat  toe  enemies  of  the  people  en- 
tirely mistook  the  temper  of  the  latter,  and  doub%d  that  the  advocacy  of  their 
cause  would  ever  amount  to  anything.  Ill;  was  fully  (two  years  before  they  awoke 
to  a realization  of  their  error,  and  when  they  then  made  an  effort  to  injure 
The  Western  Bubal,  which  they  did  in  concerted* Ipction,  it  was  entirely  be- 
yond their  reach,  firmly  backed  by  an  immense  and  constantly  augmenting 
constituency.  But  really  there  did  not  seem  be  a very  material  difference 
between  being  killed  outright  and  dying  by^c^^reos.  , As  a farmer,  the  editor 
of  The  Western  Bubal,  together  with  his  associates  throughout  the  country, 
was  having  the  life  crushed  out  of  him  gradiWlly  by  tfie  practices  of  unre- 
strained monopoly,  and  if  his  paper  was  not  ar]feC^ii[n|inBtrumentof  defense, 
it  was  of  but  little  use  at  best,  and  he  might  as  ■w^l/jLiio*#  it  first  as  last.  But 
for  his  own  protection  and  the  protection  ^ ^trons,  he  deemed 
it  to  be  his  duty  to  oppose  the  evils  of  which  agp^g  community  was 
complaining,  and  he  went  at  it  with  a firm  convict^^n.^^^^^e  was  right,  and 
relying  for  success  up'^n  the  justice  of  the  cause.  and  even  years, 

it  was  uphill  work,  in  which  there  were  far  more  (^^coi^ggpaents  than  en- 
couragements. The  people  awoke  slowly.  For  w^k|^f,ag^j^months  there 
was  no  response  to  the  weekly  appeals  and  statem^;^^^,^^^  which  The 
Western  Bubal  contained.  In  course  of  time,  howeif^,|J^^te|g  of  approval 
began  to  come  in,  and  so  far  as  that  journal  could  rea(^^^  ^p^ucers,  they 
became  generally  aroused.  j. 

But  it  was  early  seen  that  something  more  than  simi^.^i((nising  the  peo- 
ple would  have  to  be  done.  In  fact  it  was  but  little  use  to  simply  convince 
the  people  that  certain  wrongs  should  be  and  could  be  righted,  and  stop 
there.  Every  farmer  in  the  country  might  be  led  to  see  that,  but  unless 
there  was  organization  it  would  result  in  nothing  of  benefit.  It  was  clear, 
therefore,  that  steps  must  be  taken  toward  organization.  The  importance  of 
this  The  Western  Bubal  early  referred  to  and  suggested  that  it  be  effected 
under  the  name  of  the  Farmers  Alliance.  As  the  movement  was  to  be  a po- 
litical one,  either  within  the  lines  of  the  existing  parties  or  out  of  them,  as 
necessity  might  dictate,  the  organization  was  designed  to  be  an  open  one. 
With  principles  as  true  and  just  as  those  underlying  the  present  farmers’ 
movement,  and  it  being  the  intention  of  securing  their  recognition  through 
the  influences  of  the  ballot,  secrecy  was  not  only  not  necessary,  but  was  not 
advisable.  Nothing  of  prominence  has  ever  been  achieved  by  secret  polit- 
ical action.  The  only  secret  political  movement  ever  made  in  this  country 
was  the  Native  American  movement,  which  was  short  lived,  as  it  deserved 
to  be.  We  are  not  ashamed  of  our  principles,  and  are  able  to  maintain 
them  in  argument  against  the  world.  There  was  and  is,  therefore,  no  reason 
for  a secret  organization  to  do  what  the  Alliance  proposes. 

But  although  the  plan  of  organization  of  the  Alliance,  as  proposed  by 
its  founder  was  so  simple  that  anybody,  learned  or  unlearned,  could  effect 
an  organization,  no  one  seemed  ready  to  take  the  initiatory  step.  Considera- 
ble correspondence  was  had  between  Mr.  Milton  George  and  prominent  farm. 


Lmhv.'. 

imiVCRSITY  Of  llLtNOlb 

'h 

History  of  the  Alliance  Movement. 

ers.  No  one  could  be  induced  to  organize  the  first  Alliance.  The  whole  tenor 
of  the  letters  received  by  Mr.  George  was  in  favor  of  his  taking  the  first  steps^ 
organizing  an  Alliance  among  his  farmer  friends  in  Cook  County,  TIL,  and 
having  that  assume  the  aujthority  of  chartering  other  Alliances,  to  the  end 
that  the  organization  might  be  a unit  from  the  very  beginning,  until  such 
time  as  there  should  be  enough  Alliances  to  organize  a National  Alliance. 
There  appearing  to  be  no  other  easily  practical  way  of  making  a start,  on 
the  15th  of  April,  1880,  a meeting  of  Cook  County  farmers  was  held  at  the 
office  of  The  Western  Eural,  and  Cook  County  Alliance,  No.  1,  was  organ- 
ized, with  G.  A.  Houff,  as  President,  C.  E.  Tuerk,  as  Vice  President,  James 
W.  Wilson,  as  Secretary,  and  Milton  George  as  Treasurer. 

The  following  Constitution  was  proposed  and  adopted: 

Art.  1. — This  Alliance  shall  be  constituted  of  at  least  seven  members, 
who  shall  be  practical  and  operative  farmers,  and  shall  be  called  Cook  County 
Alliance,  No.  1,  of  the  State  of  Illinois. 

Art.  2. — This  Alliance  shall  hold  regular  meetings  at  least  once  a 
month,  and  not  oftener  than  once  a week.  Five  members  shall  constitute  a 
quorum. 

Art.  3. — Applications  for  membership  shall  be  made  through  a member  of 
the  Alliance  who  shall  personally  vouch  for  the  applicant  as  being  a farmer 
and  of  good  moral  character.  The  application  shall  be  referred  to  a com- 
mittee of  three  members,  who  shall  report  at  the  next  meeting,  unless  further 
time  is  given.  If  the  committee  report  favorably  or  unfavorably,  a ballot 
shall  be  had  by  depositing  a written  or  printed  ticket  bearing  the  word, 
Yes,  or  bearing  the  word,  No — the  former  admitting  to  membership,  and  the 
latter  rejecting.  If  two-thirds  of  the  members  voting  shall  vote  in  favor  of 
the  reception  of  the  candidate,  he  shall  be  declared  elected;  otherwise  he 
shall  be  considered  rejected.  If  elected,  he  shall,  to  become  a member,  sign 
the  constitution,  and  pay  a fee  of  fifty  cents. 

Art.  4. — The  officers  of  this  Alliance  shall  be  a President,  Vice  Presi- 
dent, Secretary  and  Treasurer,  who  shall  perform  the  duties  of  such  offices 
as  prescribed  in  Cushing’s  Manual.  After  the  first  election  the  officers  shall 
be  elected  at  the  first  regular  meetings  in  July  and  January,  the  regular  term 
of  office  being  six  months. 

Art.  5. — There  shall  be  a Finance  Committee,  composed  of  three  mem» 
bers,  named  by  the  President,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Alliance,  who  . 
shall  audit  all  bills  before  they  are  paid,  and  shall  examine  the  books  and 
accounts  of  the  Treasurer,  and  report  as  to  their  condition  on  the  day  or  night 
of  every  election.  When  the  Finance  Committee  has  endorsed  a bill  favora- 
i bly,  the  Treasurer  shall  pay  it,  unless  objection  is  made  after  the  Secretary 
has  publicly  announced  that  such  a bill  has  been  presented  and  approvedo 
In  that  case  a vote  of  the  Alliance  shall  be  taken  upon  it. 

Art.  6. — This  Alliance  may  discuss  any  question  of  interest  to  the  farm- 
er. 

Art.  7. — By-laws  may  be  made  not  conflicting  with  this  Constitution,  and 
the  Constitution  may  be  amended  by  a two-thirds  vote  at  any  regular  meeting. 


History  of  the  AiiHiANCE  Movement. 


Here  was  the  simplest  form  of  organization  that  could  be  made  prac. 
tical.  The  laws  were  as  few  as  possible,  and  the  officers  reduced  to  the  small- 
est practical  number.  The  purpose  to  make  the  ifiachinery  as  little  cumber- 
some as  possible  seemed  to  hav«  been  fully  accomplished,  and  Alliances 
cannot  do  better  than  to  adopt  this  Constitution,  inserting  the  name  of  the 
particular  Alliance  instead  of  Cook  County,  and  th^  number  of  the  Alliance 
in  place  of  No.  1. 

ORDER  OF  BUSINESS. 

The  following  order  of  business  was  also  adopted  and  is  recommended 
to  other  Alliances; 

1st.— The  President,  or  in  his  absence,  the  ^Vice  President,  shall  call  the 
meeting  to  order. 

2d.— The  presiding  officer  shall  direct  the  Secretary  to  read  the  records  of 
the  previous  meeting,  and  shall  ask  if  they  are  correct  as  read.  If  there  is  no 
objection,  he  will  declare  them  approved.  If  there  are  any  corrections  he 
will  declare  them  approved  with  the  corrections. 

3d.-  -He  shall  then  ask  if  there  are  any  bills  against  the  Alliance.  If  the 
Finance  Committee  have  approved  any  bill  or  bills,  the  Secretary  shall  read 
them  at  this  time,  and  if  there  is  no  objection  the  presiding  officer  shall  refer 
them  to  the  Treasurer  for  payment.  If  there  is  objection  to  the  payment,  the 
President,  without  a motion,  shall  say,  “The  question  is  upon  the  payment  of 
this  bill,”  and  after  discussion,  or  if  there  is  no  discussion,  shall  put  it  to  vote* 

4th. — The  President  shall  ask,  “Is  there  any  matter  of  unfinished  busi- 
ness to  be  considered?”  the  unfinished  business  including  everything  that  has 
been  proposed  or  considered  at  a previous  meeting  and  not  yet  settled,  unless 
it  is  a matter  that  has  been  postponed  to  some  other  definite  time. 

5th. — Committees  that  have  been  appointed  at  previous  meetings  shall 
report  unless  otherwise  ordered.  The  President  shall  call  upon  the  chair- 
man of  each  committee  for  a report. 

6th. — The  Secretary,  upon  request  of  the  President,  shall  read  appli- 
cations for  meml^ership,  when  the  President  shall  announce  the  investigating 
committee  on  each  case. 

7th. — The  S 'cretary,  upon  request  of  the  President,  shall  read  the  reportj 
of  the  investigating  committees  upon  previous  applications  for  membershipjj 
after  which,  the  President  shall  appoint  a committee  of  three  to  gather  and 
count  the  ballots,  saying,  after  the  appointment  of  the  committee,  “Members 

will  now  deposit  their  ballots  for  or  against  the  admission  of  Mr. upon 

whose  application  the  committee  has  reported  favorably  (or  unfavorably,  if 
such  is  the  fact).”  If  the  candidate  is  elected,  the  President,  after  the  report 
of  the  committee  as  to  the  condition  of  the  ballot,  shall  say:  “The  candidate 
is  elected”;  if  he  is  rejected,  the  President  shall  say:  “The  candidate  is  re- 
jected.” 

8th. — The  President  shall  ask,  “Is  there  any  matter  of  new  business  to 
come  before  the  Alliance?”  when  any  member  desiring  to  make  any  proper 
motion  can  do  so. 

9th. — The  President  shall  ask,  “Has  any  member  anything  to  offer  for  the 


7 

History  of  the  Alliance  Movement. 

good  of  the  Alliance?”  and  under  this  head  any  member  may  make  such  re- 
spectful remarks  as  he  may  see  fit,  discussion  may  be  had  or  any  matter  of 
business  may  be  attended  to. 

10th.— Whenever  there  is  no  further  business,  if  no  motion  is  made  to 
adjourn,  the  President  may  ask,  “Shall  we  now  adjourn?”  and  may  put  the 
question  without  a regular  motion. 

This  Order  of  Business  is  explicit  and  will  greatly  aid  those  who  may 
not  be  conversant  with  conducting  a meeting.  With  this  Constitution  and 
Order  of.  Business  Cook  County  Alliance  commenced  operations.  It  was 
voted  at  the  first  meeting  to  prepare  a form  of  charter,  which  should  be 
issued  to  any  seven  farmers  who  desired  to  thus  join  the  new  army.  No  as- 
sumption of  authority  was  made  by  this  Alliance,  its  action  in  granting 
charters  being  simply  for  the  purpose  of  holding  the  organization  together 
until  such  time  as  the  members  should  organize  a regularly  constituted  Na- 
tional body.  The  first  charter  issued  by  Cook  County  Alliance  was  to  Monitor 
Alliance,  No.  1,  of  Nebraska,  which  had  the  following  officers:  President,  J.P. 
Cook;  Vice  President,  A.  S.  Allen;  Secretary,  J.  B.  Allen;  Treasurer,  H.  Smith. 
It  was  but  a short  time  before  there  was  a sufficient  number  of  Alliances 
to  organize  a National  Alliance,  and  the  publisher  of  The  Western  Rural 
offered  to  bear  all  the  expenses  of  a convention  if  the  Alliances  v/ould  send 
delegates  to  Chicago  to  organize  a National  body.  The  offer  was  accepted, 
and  on  the  14th  of  October,  1880,  about  five  hundred  farmers.  Alliance  dele- 
gates and  others  interested,  assembled  in  Farwell  Hall,  Chicago.  This 
meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Milton  George,  who  nominated  for  temporary 
chairman,  David  Ward  Wood,  and  for  temporary  secretary,  J.  M.  Chambers* 
of  the  Illinois  State  Grange.  At  the  close  of  an  address  by  the  temporary 
chairman,  the  following  permanent  officers  were  elected:  President,  Hon 
Matt.  Anderson,  of  Wisconsin;  Vice  Presidents,  Milton  George,  of  Illinois;  A. 
B.  Smith,  Master  of  the  Kentucky  State  Grange;  J.  J.  Fuss,  of  Michigan; 
and  J.  E.  Colby,  of  Iowa;  Secretary  Mr.  Chambers.  The  following  States 
were  represented:  Massachusetts,-  Rhode  Island,  New  York,  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Michigan,  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  Nebraska,  Missouri,  Ken- 
tucky and  Texas.  The  day  was  almost  wholly  consumed  in  general  conven- 
tion, in  which  the  questions  in  which  the  producer  was  vitally  interested  were 
fully  discussed,  and  the  following  resolutions  adopted: 

This  convention,  representing  G ranges.  Farmers’  Clubs  and  Alliances,  and 
the  industrial  and  shipping  interests,  affirms,  as  incontrovertible  facts,  that 
the  railroad  system  of  this  country  has  become  a virtual  monopoly,  which  is 
defiant  of  all  existing  law  bearing  upon  the  management  of  railways,  oppres- 
sive alike  to  the  producer  and  consumer,  corrupting  to  our  politics,  a hindrance 
to  free  and  impartial  legislation,  and  a menace  to  the  very  safety  of  our  re- 
publican institutions;  that  our  railroad  corporations,  while  having  secured  an 
existence  and  their  franchises  through  the  plea  of  being  necessary  for  the 
public  good,  and  in  the  belief  on  the  part  of  the  people’s  representatives  that 
the  public  good  demanded  it,  having  been  granted  the  right  of  way  through 
public  and  private  property,  are  operating  their  roads  as  an  entirely  private 


Histoby  of  the  Alliance  Movement. 


enterprise,  without  regard  to  the  rights  of  the  people  and  heedless  of  their 
pledges  to  and  contract  with  the  State;  that  they  have  been  aided  in  the  con- 
struction of  their  roads  by  the  government,  in  public  land  grants,  subsidies, 
and  loans,  aggregating  in  value  over  $1,500,000,000,  and  by  town  and  individ- 
ual subscriptions  to  an  amount  which  cannot  be  accurately  ascertained,  but  is 
known  to  aggregate  hundreds  of  thousands,  and  that  although  no  part  of  the 
principal  and  not  a penny  of  interest  has  ever  in  a single  instance  been  paid, 
these  corporations  utterly  ignore  the  enormous  assessment  with  which  the 
people  have  thus  voluntarily  burdened  themselves  in  their  behalf,  and  assume 
the  right  to  impose  rates  for  freight  and  passenger  transportation  as  if  the 
roads  had  been  wholly  constructed  by  the  contributions  of  their  individual 
owners;  that  their  publicly-announced  principle  of  business  is  to  charge  as 
high  as  the  business  will  bear,  which  means  that  freight  tariffs  shall  be  main- 
tained at  just  as  high  a figure  as  will  not  make  the  shipment  of  farm  produce 
and  merchandise  absolutely  objectless — a principle  so  unjust  and  tyrannical 
that  those  engaged  in  private  business  enterprises  would  mot  dare  adopt  it; 
that  they  compel  the  producer  and  shipper  to  contribute  sufficient  to  pay  large 
dividends  not  only  upon  the  face  value  of  their  bona  fide  stock,  but  also  upon 
the  face  value  of  large  and  repeated  issues  of  watered  stock;  that  they  organ- 
ize within  themselves  independent  companies — which  manage  what  are  called 
“fast  freight  lines” — to  do  the  business  which  they  were  organized  to  do,  and 
thus  are  enabled  to  assess  the  public  to  pay  dividends  to  two  companies,  when 
one  could  do  the  business;  that  they  discriminate  against  individuals  and 
communities,  assuming  the  power,  and  using  it  most  disastrously  at  times,  to 
ruin  a merchant  or  a mercantile  or  farming  community;  that  these  corpora- 
tions have  grown  so  arrogant  that  they  refuse  to  listen  to  either  remonstrances 
or  entreaties,  and  that  State  legislation  is  wholly  inoperative  to  thwart  their 
designs  or  to  enforce  the  rights  of  the  public. 

In  view  of  these  startling  facts,  and  in  accordance  with  the  decision  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  affirming  the  right  of  the  people  to  reg- 
ulate the  management  of  and  charges  upon  railroads,  this  convention  re- 
solves, 

1.  That  the  producers  and  shippers  of  this  country  in  their  contest  with 
the  railroad  monopoly  desire  only  what  is  right;  that  they  demand  that  and 
that  they  will  have  it. 

2.  That  while  agriculture  pays  less  than  four  per  cent,  upon  the  invest- 
ment, and  the  profits  of  legitimate  business  enterprises  of  any  character  sel- 
dom reach  ten  oer  cent.,  we  will  not  pay  rates  for  the  transportation  of  the 
produce  of  our  farms  to  market  which  enable  railroad  officials  to  amass  prince- 
ly fortunes,  live  in  extravagance,  and  pay  large  dividends  upon  the  face 
value  of  their  stock,  besides  having  enough  from  the  profits  of  their  business 
to  make  improvements  and  extensions  upon  their  lines,  which  are  often  more 
valuable  than  the  aggregate  of  full  dividends. 

3.  We  demand  of  Congress  a remedy;  that  it  shall  place  the  railroads  of 
the  country  under  government  control,  enacting  laws  that  will  certainly  pro- 
tect the  producer  from  the  terrible  extortion  under  which  he  has  so  long  suf- 


1 

Histoey  of  the  AiiiiiANCE  Movement, 

fered,  and  that  we  wHl  hold  our  repressntatives  in  the  national  legislature  to 
a strict  accountability  for  their  action  in  the  premises,  pledging  ourselves  and 
our  constituency  to  exert  ourselves  to  the  utmost  to  defeat  the  re-election  of 
any  man  to  any  legislative  or  executive  office  who  does  not  actively  favor  in  his 
official  capacity  the  subjugation  of  railroad  corporations  to  the  will  of  the  people. 

4.  We  demand  of  our  respective  political  parties  that  hereafter  they  shall 
nominate  for  the  State  legislature  and  for  Congress  only  such  men  as  are  in 
sympathy  with  industrial  and  commercial  interests,  and  who,  if  elected,  will 
work  and  vote  to  place  the  producer  upon  an  equal  footing  with  monopolies 
of  every  character,  and  to  this  end  oppose  all  class  legislation;  and  if  our  re- 
spective parties  neglect  to  do  this,  we  pledge  ourselves  to  use  every  honorable 
means  to  defeat  the  candidate  which  they  present  for  our  suffrages. 

5.  We  congratulate  the  Grange  and  Farmers’  Clubs  upon  what  they  have 
done  to  emancipate  the  labor  of  the  farm  from  slavish  drudgery  to  monopolies* 
and  urge  them  to  a continuance  of  their  noble  work,  which  has  been  so  effec- 
tive in  the  education  of  the  masses,  and  such  an  obstacle  to  class  legislation. 

6.  We  bid  a welcome  and  a Godspeed  to  the  Farmers’  Alliance,  which 
joins  hands  with  the  Grange  and  Farmers’  Clubs  in  demanding  those  reforms 
which  are  requisite  for  the  prosperity  of  the  farmer  and  of  the  country. 

7.  We  pledge  our  support  to  those  journals  which  support  us,  and  urge 
upon  farmers  the  recognition  of  the  duty  to  support  no  paper  which  is  not 
outspoken  in  our  interests. 

At  the  close  of  the  day’s  convention,  an  Alliance  meeting  proper  was  or- 
ganized with  W.  J.  Fowler,  Secretary  of  the  New  York  State  Farmers  Alliance, 
as  President.  A motion  to  proceed  to  the  organization  of  a National  Alliance 
was  passed  and  the  following  constitution  was  adopted: 

ARTICLE  I. 

Sec.  1.— This  body  shall  be  known  as  the  National  Farmers  Alliance  of 
the  United  States,  with  power  to  make  its  own  constitution  and  laws  for  the 
government  of  the  entire  organization  in  the  country. 

ARTICLE  11. 

Sec.  1. — The  object  of  the  organization  shall  be  to  unite  the  farmers  of 
the  United  States  for  their  protection  against  class  legislation,  and  the  en- 
croachments of  concentrated  capital  and  the  tyranny  of  monopoly;  to  provide 
against  being  imposed  upon  by  swindlers  and  swindling  advertisements  in  the 
public  prints;  to  oppose,  in  our  respective  political  parties,  the  election  of  any 
candidate  to  office.  State  or  National,  who  is  not  thoroughly  in  sympathy  with 
the  farmer’s  interests;  to  demand  that  the  existing  political  parties  shall  nom- 
inate farmers  or  those  who  are  in  sympathy  with  them,  for  all  offices  within 
the  gift  of  the  people,  and  to  do  anything,  in  a legitimate  manner,  that  may 
serve  to  benefit  the  producer. 

ARTICLE  III. 

Sec.  1. — This  National  Farmers’  Alliance  shall  meet  on  the  first  Wednes- 
day after  the  first  Monday  in  October,  every  year,  at  such  place  as  may  be  de- 
signated by  a vote  at  the  previous  meeting. 


History  or  the  Alliance  Movement. 


ARTICLE  IV, 

Sec.  1.— This  National  Farmers  Alliance  shall  be  composed  of  its  officers, 
tw.'  representatives  from  every  State  Alliance,  and  one  representative  from 
eve.  y Alliance  in  any  State  in  which  no  State  Alliance  has  been  organized; 
pro  :?.ided,  however,  that  upon  the  demand  of  any  two  members  of  this  Alliance* 
eacii  State  delegation  shall  be  required  to  vote  as  a unit.  The  officers  elected 
upon  the  adoption  of  this  constitution  shall  be  constituted  life  members  of 
this  \lliance. 

Sec.  2. — State  Alliances,  when  they  exist,  shall  meet  on  the  hrst  Wednes- 
day after  the  first  Monday  in  September,  every  year,  and  elect  representatives 
to  the  National  Alliance;  in  those  States  where  no  State  Alliance  has  been 
organized.  Subordinate  Alliances  will  elect  their  delegates  at  their  first  meet- 
ing in  September.  Upon  the  election  of  delegates  by  either  the  State  or  sub- 
ordinate Alliance,  the  President  and  Secretary  shall  certify  the  names  of  the 
representatives  to  the  Secretary  of  the  National  Alliance,  and  furnish  the  rep- 
resentatives with  a duplicate  certificate. 

Sec.  3. — Whenever  a State  Alliance  shall  charter  a subordinate  Alliance, 
its  Secretary  shall  at  once  notify  the  Secretary  of  the  National  Alliance  of  the 
fact,  the  location  of  the  new  Alliance,  and  the  names  and  addresses  of  its 
President  and  Secretary. 

ARTICLE  V. 

Sec.  1. — The  officers  of  this  National  Alliance  shall  [be  a President,  Vice 
President,  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  who  shall  be  elected  at  any  regular  meet- 
ing upon  a majority  vote.  If  more  than  two  candidates  shall  receive  votes, 
and  no  choice  is  made  on  the  first  ballot,  the  candidate  receiving  the  smallest 
number  of  votes  shall  be  dropped  at  every  ballot,  until  only  two  candidates 
remain.  The  voting  for  candidates  shall  be  by  written  or  printed  ballot,  un- 
less an  election  is  by  unanimous  consent. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

Sec.  1, — Seven  members  shall  constitute  a quorum  for  the  transaction  of 
business,  but  less  than  that  number  can  call  this  National  Alliance  together, 
and  idjourn  to  meet  at  a future  time. 

ARTICLE  VII, 

Sec,  1. — All  State  Alhances  must  be  chartered  from  this  National  Alliance, 
and  bear  the  signatures  of  the  President  and  Secretary,  and  the  seal  of  the 
National  xiiliance;  in  those  States  in  which  there  may  be  no  State  Alliance, 
subordinate  Alliances  must  be  chartered  by  the  National  Alliance, 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

Sec.  1. — The  President  shall  sign  charters  and  preside  at  meetings  of  the 
National  Farmers’  Alliance,  when  present  at  the  meetings.  The  Vice  Presi- 
dent may  sign  charters,  as  acting  President,  and  shall  preside  in  absence  of 
the  President.  The  Secretary  shall  keep  a record  of  the  proceedings  of  each 
meeting;  shall  notify  State  Alliances,  when  they  exist,  and  subordinate  Alli- 
ances where  no  State  Alliances  exist,  of  the  proceedings  of  the  National  Alii- 


History  of  the  Alliance  Movement. 


ance;  shall  answer  any  questions  as  to  the  state  of  the  market  or  the  stand 
of  any  individual  or  firm,  which,  upon  inquiry  or  knowledge  he  may  be  E')le 
to  do,  and  to  exert  himself,  when  requested  by  the  Secretary  of  any  State  o)' 
local  Alliance,  to  protect  and  promote  the  interests  of  the  members  of  thk  i • 
ganization.  The  Treasurer  shall  hold  any  funds  that  may  come  into  his  hands 
subject  to  the  order  of  this  Alliance. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

Sec.  1. — Members  of  any  other  farmers’  society  may  be  admitted  to  our 
deliberations.  Ail  Granges  and  Farmers’  clubs  who  will  send  delegates  to 
our  annual  meeting  will  be  members,  and  entitled  to  speak  and  vote  upon  any 
question. 

ARTICLE  X. 

Sec.  l.~This  constitution  may  be  altered  or  amended  by  a two-thirds 
vote  at  any  regular  meeting. 

The  election  of  officers  was  now  proceeded  with  and  the  following  were 
elected:  President,  W.  J.  Fowler,  of  New  York;  Vico  President, ; Secre- 

tary, James  W.  Wilson,  of  Illinois;  Treasurer,  Matt  Anderson,  of  Wisconsiii. 
The  question  of  the  finances  being  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  National 
Alliance,  the  publisher  of  The  Western  Rurau  offered  to  bear  all  the  ex- 
penses for  that  year,  and  he  has  continued  to  do  so  down  to  the  present  time. 
The  work  of  organization  was  now  fully  inaugurated.  The  President  and  Secre- 
tary, having  been  authorized  to  issue  the  charters,  they  immediately  announc 
ed  their  readiness  to  grant  all  proper  applications.  Cook  County  Alliance  be- 
came simply  a local  Alliance,  the  National  Alliance  having  become,  through 
the  votes  of  all  the  Alliances,  by  their  delegates,  the  head  of  the  organization. 
A futile  objection  to  the  Alliance,  made  by  some  of  its  wild  and  bitter  ene- 
mies, that  it  was  being  built  from  the  top  and  not  from  the  bottom— that  a 
supreme  body  arrogated  to  itself  power  over  the  farmers,  is  here  effectually 
answered  a ad  the  insincerity  of  the  objection  fully  exposed.  The  Alliances 
sent  delegates  to  Chicago  to  organize  a National  Alliance  and  those  delegates 
gave  it  all  the  power  it  possesses.  Every  year  they  send  delegates  who  have 
the  power  and  right  to  make  any  changes  in  the  constitution  and  management 
of  the  National  Alliance  that  they  may  wish.  In  fact  there  never  was  an  or- 
ganization that  was  so  absolutely  free  from,  bossism  as  the  Farmers  Alliance 
is,  and  its  principal  opponents,  outside  of  classes  that  it  is  purposely  organ- 
ized to  oppose,  is  found  among  those  who  desire  to  be  bosses,  but  cannot  be. 

After  the  organization  of  the  National  Alliance,  the  cause  advanced  rapid- 
ly. In  a year’s  time  a thousand  local  Alliances  had  been  organized — with  a 
membership  of  fifty  thousand,  d,nd  State  Alliances  had  been  formed  in  Kansas, 
Nebraska,  New  York,  Iowa,  Wisconsin  and  Illinois,  and  the  movement  had 
begun  to  make  itself  felt  in  the  politics  of  the  West.  At  the  second  annual 
meeting  which  was  held  in  Chicago,  October  5th,  1881,  Iowa,  Kansas,  Illinois, 
Indiana,  Minnesota,  Michigan  and  New  York  were  represented  by  duly  elect- 
ed delegates,  and  their  reports  from  their  respective  jurisdictions  were  most 
encouraging.  At  this  meeting,  the  President,  W.  J.  Fowler,  presided  and  the 


History  of  the  Alliance  Movement. 


following  business  was  transacted;  The  constitution  was  amended  as  follows; 
Art  1,  Section  1,  was  changed  so  as  to  read,  “This  body  shall  be  known  as  the 
National  Farmers  Alliance  of  the  United  States,  with  power  to  make  its  own 
constitution  and  laws.”  Art.  4,  Section  1,  was  changed  so  as  to  read,  “This 
National  Farmers  Alliance  shall  be  composed  of  its  officers,  two  delegates 
from  each  State  Alliance,  and  one  additional  delegate  for  each  10,000  mem- 
bers, or  fraction  over  half  that  number,  who  pay  their  dues,  and  one  delegate 
from  every  Alliance  in  any  State,  in  which  no  State  Alliance  has  been  organ- 
ized; provided,  however,  that  upon  the  demand  of  any  two  members  of  this 
Alliance,  each  State  delegation  in  which  there  is  no  State  Alliance,  shall  vote 
as  a unit.” 

The  following  additions  were  made  to  the  constitution:  The  office  of  lec- 
turer was  created.  Art.  11,  Section  1,  “Any  member  of  this  Alliance  and  no 
other  is  eligible  to  office  in  this  body.”  Art.  12,  Section  1,  “Every  member  of 
the  Farmers  Alliance  in  the  United  States,  and  every  member  of  any  society 
which  shall  be  represented  in  this  body,  shall  pay  to  the  Secretary  of  the  lo- 
cal Alliance,  or  society,  on  or  before  the  first  meeting  in  January,  for  the  sup- 
port of  this  National  Alliance,  the  sum  of  ten  cents,  and  the  Secretary  of  the 
local  Alliance  or  society,  shall  forward  the  money  direct  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  National  Alliance.”  Art.  13,  Section  1,  “Any  farmers’  society  ,that  pays 
into  the  treasury  of  this  Alliance  a per  capita  tax,  as  provided  in  Section  1,  of 
Art.  12,  may  send  a delegate  to  this  National  Alliance,  who  shall  be  entitled 
to  all  the  privileges  allowed  a delegate  from  an  Alliance.” 

The  officers  elected  at  the  second  annual  meeting  for  the  - ensuing  year 
were  John  U.  James,  of  Kansas,  President;  Matt.  Anderson,  of  Wisconsin, 
Vice  President;  David  Ward  Wood,  of  Illinois,  Secretary;  Allen  Root,  of  Ne- 
braska, Treasurer;  David  Ward  Wood,  Lecturer. 

A committee  on  resolutions  appointed  at  this  meeting,  and  composed  of 
L.  E.  Williams,  of  Iowa,  Milton  George,  publisher  of  The  Western  Rural, 
and  L.  E.  Mulhoiland,  of  Kansas,  reported  the  following  which  were  unani- 
mously adopted: 

Whereas,  Farmers  and  others  are  oppressed  by  unequal  taxation,  by 
subsidies  to  monopolies,  by  selfish  and  dishonest  officials,  by  railroad  extor- 
tion and  unjust  discriminations,  and  by  other  privileged  classes;  and 

Whereas  Congress  only  can  regulate  Commerce  between  the  States,  and 
a national  union  of  all  interested  is  necessary  for  success — 

Resolved,  That  the  farmers  and  all  in  sympathy  with  them,  unite  in  local, 
State  and  national  societies  for  mutual  agreement  and  united  action. 

Resolved,  That  all  property,  real  or  personal,  corporate  or  individual, 
should  be  equally  taxed,  and  that  the  holders  of  mortgages  and  other  lines  of 
property  should  be  taxed  for  their  lien,  and  the  owner  for  the  balance  of  his 
property. 

Resolved,  That  we  favor  a just  income  tax. 

Resolved,  That  the  salaries  of  all  public  officials  should  be  only  a fair 
compensation  for  service  rendered,  that  all  government  positions  should  be 
elective  as  far  as  practicable,  and  that  the  appointment  of  postmasters  and 


Histobi  of  the  Alliance  Movement. 


other  officers  by  the  successful  party  is  a gross  violation  of  civil  service  re- 
form, and  fruitful  source  of  corruption. 

Resolvedy  That  we  emphatically  condemn  the  practice  of  receiving  free 
railroad  passes  by  judges,  members  of  congress,  legislatures  and  by  other 
public  officials. 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  duty  of  the  general  government  to  at  once  exer- 
cise its  constitutional  right  to  regulate  commerce  between  the  States  by  pass- 
ing such  laws  and  establishing  such  regulations  as  will  secure  to  the  whole 
people  just  and  impartial  rates  for  the  transportation  of  freights  and  pas- 
sengers. 

Resolved,  That  the  combination  and  consolidation  of  railroad  capital,  and 
the  influence  of  the  United  States  in  the  maintenance  of  an  oppressive  and  ty- 
rannical transportation  system  are  accomplished  facts,  demanding  instant, 
vigorous,  and  unceasing  action  on  the  part  of  the  producers  of  the  country  to 
remedy  the  same;  and  we  earnestly  urge  all  farmers  to  organize  through  the 
Farmers’  Alliance  or  other  organizations  for  systematic  and  persistent  politic- 
al action,  and  to  subordinate  other  political  questions  to  the  emancipation  of 
the  people  from  this  terrible  oppression. 

Resolved,  That  we  demand  such  changes  in  our  patent  law  as  will  give 
patentees  a remedy  for  the  infringement  of  their  claims,  from  the  sellers  of 
patents  only,  and  not  from  their  users,  who  are  usually  innocent  purchasers 
of  rights  which  they  are  made  to  believe  are  valid. 

Resolved,  That  all  persons  should  be  allowed  to  make  patented  articles 
on  payment  of  a royalty  of  a per  cent,  of  the  price  of  the  article;  the  royalty 
to  be  the  same  as  on  all  patents. 

Resolved,  That  the  adulteration  of  food  is  as  dishonest  and  more  injuri- 
ous than  counterfeiting  money,  and  should  be  punished  as  severely. 

Resolved,  That  as  delegates  nominating  conventions  are  frequently  con- 
trolled by  trading  and  bribery,  and  fail  to  justly  represent  the  people  we  re- 
commend the  plan  of  nominating  all  elective  officers  by  direct  vote  by  all 
members  of  the  organization. 

St.  Louis  was  selected  by  a vote  of  the  National  Alliance  as  the  place  for 
the  third  annual  meeting,  and  after  a vote  of  thanks  to  Milton  George  for 
bearing  the  expenses  of  the  National  Alliance  during  the  previous  year,  the 
second  annual  convention  adjourned. 

Since  the  adjournment  of  this  last  meeting,  until  the  present  time,  which 
is  about  ten  months.  State  Alliances  have  been  organized  in  Minnesota  and  in 
Michigan,  about  a thousand  new  local  Alliances  have  been  instituted,  the 
membership  has  increased  to  a hundred  and  nine  thousand  and  the  movement 
has  found  its  way  into  new  sections,  especially  at  the  South.  Tennessee  and 
Arkansas  have  made  a most  auspicious  commencement  in  Alliance  organiza- 
tion, and  in  the  latter  State,  there  is  one  Alliance  composed  of  colored  men. 
We  welcome  all  who  have  a vote  and  will  stand  by  our  principles.  During 
the  year  Missouri  has  made  marked  progress,  and  will  soon  organize  a State 
Alliance.  In  Nebraska,  where  there  are  between  five  hundred  and 
six  hundred  Alliances,  there  is  a strong  inclination  toward  independent  po- 


Directions  for  Organizing  a Meeting. 


litical  action,  and  perhaps  that  is  very  generally  true  throughout  the  organ- 
ization. If  existing  political  parties  will  not  grant  the  reasonable  demands  of 
the  farmer — demands  which  are  in  no  sense  partisan— he  will  enforce  them 
through  other  political  machinery,  and  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  any  one  can 
find  a pretext  for  blaming  him  for  so  doing.  He  is  not  actuated  by  the  mo- 
tive of  the  politician,  which  is  the  love  of  office,  but  simply  wishes  his  rights 
and  guaranty  of  equality  of  American  citizenship  before  the  law.  Grant  him 
these  and  he  will  not  care  who  has  given  them  to  him.  Deny  him  these,  and 
he  will  make  trouble  for  those  who  are  so  unreasonable  and  so  unjust.  We 
now  have  about  two  thousand  Alliances,  Nebraska  and  Kansas  leading  in 
number,  and  the  balance  pretty  evenly  distributed  among  Wisconsin,  Iowa, 
Michigan,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Minnesota,  New  York,  Texas,  Arkansas,  Missouri, 
Dakota  and  Tennessee.  The  expense  of  conducting  the  work,  especially  of  the 
National  Alliance,  has  been  considerable  and  is  constantly  increasing.  The 
Secretary  of  the  National  Alliance,  or  a clerk,  is  compelled  to  give  pretty 
nearly  his  whole  time  to  it,  and,  of  course,  must  be  paid  from  some  source; 
office  accommodations  must  be  provided,  and  must  be  paid  for  by  somebody; 
considerable  printing  must  be  done  and  paid  for,  and  the  matter  of  postage  is 
no  inconsiderable  item.  At  a reasonable  estimate  the  services  rendered  in  the 
Secretary’s  office  have  cost  The  Western  Bural  six  hundred  dollars  for  the 
present  year;  the  printing  done  has  been  at  a cost_bf  nearly  a thousand  dol- 
lars, and  the  postage  has  amounted  to  a hundred  dollars.  This  statement  will 
show  the  extent  o^  bur  indebtedness  to  the  publisher  of  The  Bubal,  without 
whose  unselfish  assistance,  the  work  would  not  only  have  been  greatly  retard- 
ed, but  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  it  could  have  been  carried  forward  at  all.  It 
is  true  the  constitution  of  the  National  Alliance  provides  for  a revenue,  but  no 
State  has  complied  with  the  provision  this  year,  and  no  money  was  received 
last  year.  It  is  fortunate  for  us  that  we  have  among  us  a man  who  has  enough 
interest  in  the  movement  to  give  it  not  only  the  influence  of  his  journal,  but 
material  aid  material  aid. — Secretary  of  National  Farmers  Alliance. 

dibections  fob  obganizing  an  alliance. 

Any  farmer  in  any  community,  who  desires  to  organize  an  Alliance,  should 
consult  with  his  neighbors,  to  the  number  of  at  least  seven,  and  as  many  more 
as  he  can  reach.  Having  secured  the  consent  of  seven  or  more  to  join  in  the 
movement,  issue  a personal  or  public  invitation,  or  both,  to  meet  at  any  suit- 
able place  at  a certain  time.  When  the  people  have  gathered,  the  one  who 
was  instrumental  in  securing  the  attendance,  or  any  other  one,  will  arise  and 
state  that  the  object  of  the  meeting  is  to  organize  an  Alliance,  with  such  other 
remarks  as  he  may  choose  to  make.  He  will  then  say:  “The  first  order  of  busi- 
ness is  the  election  of  a President.  Will  you  please  nominate  some  one  for 
that  position.”  When  the  nomination  is  made,  the  chairman  will  say:  “All 

those  in  favor  of  Mr. (naming  the  nominee)  serving  you  as  President 

will  say,  Aye;  contrary  minded,  No.”  If  the  majority  vote  is  in  the  affirmative, 
the  nominee  will  be  declared  elected.  If  a majority  vote  in  the  negative,  the 
nominee  will  be  declared  not  elected.  If  more  than  one  nomination  is  made, 
the  chairman  will  put  to  vote  the  first,  and  if  he  is  not  elected,  the  second,  and 


Directions  for  Organizing  a Meeting. 


so  on  until  an  election  shall  be  had.  The  newly  made  President  will  immedi- 
ately assume  his  position,  and  after  making  whatever  remarks  he  may  choose, 
shall  say : “"^he  next  thing  in  order  is  the  election  of  a Secretary.  Please 
for  Secretary.”  After  the  nomination,  the  vote  shall  be  taken  as  for 
Vice  Presidents  may  be  elected  if  thought  best,  but  that  is  not 
necessary.  The  meeting  is  now  organized  and  ready  for  business.  The  Presi- 
dent shall  inquire ; “What  is  the  further  pleasure  of  the  meeting.”  If  no  one 
makes  a motion  the  President  can  greatly  expedite  matters  by  requesting  some 
one  to  make  one  according  to  the  legitimate  order  of  business.  The  first  busi- 
ness after  organization,  is  a motion  such  as  this:  “I  move  that  we  proceed  to 
the  organization  of  a Farmers  Alliance.”  If,  as  before  said,  no  one  makes  such 
a motion,  the  President  may  ask  if  some  one  will  do  so.  This  motion  passed, 
the  next  one  in  order  is  for  the  adoption  of  a constitution.  If  it  is  desired  to 
adopt  the  constitution  suggested  for  local  Alliances  in  this  manual  (the  con- 
stitution of  the  Cook  County  Farmers  Alliance)  some  one  will  move  as  fol- 
lows: “I  move  that  we  adopt  the  constitution  of  the  Cook  County  Alliance,  as 
found  in  The  Western  Ruraij  Rules  of  Order.”  Ail  motions,  of  course,  are  to  be 
seconded,  before  they  are  put.  When  this  motion  is  put  and  carried, the  next  busi- 
ness will  be  the  adoption  of  the  name  of  the  Alliance.  Any  one  can  move  that  any 
name  he  may  wish  be  adopted,  and  if  there  is  more  than  one  name  suggested, 
the  simplest  way  will  be  to  put  the  question  of  the  adoption  upon  the  first 
suggested,  and  then  through  the  list,  until  the  meeting  votes  in  favor  of  a 
name.  Now  comes  the  election  of  officers.  Some  one  will  move  “that  we  now 
proceed  to  the  election  of  officers.”  This  motion  being  carried,  the  President 
will  call  for  nominations,  first  for  President,  second  for  Vice  President,  third 
for  Secretary  and  fourth  for  Treasurer.  The  nominations  being  closed,  the 
chair  will  appoint  three  members  to  collect  and  count  the  votes,  and  will  then 
order  the  election  to  proceed,  first  for  President,  then  for  Vice  President,  then 
for  Secretary  and  then  for  Treasurer.  The  election  completed,  the  next  thing 
to  do  is  to  prepare  an  application  for  a charter,  which  application  will  be 
made  to  the  Secretary  of  the  State  Alliance,  if  there  is  a State  Alliance  in  the 
State,  and  if  not  to  the  Secretary  of  the  National  Alliance.  The  following 
will  answer  as  a form:  To  the  Secretary  of  the  State  Alliance  (or  Secretary  of 
the  National  Alliance).  The  undersigned,  being  practical  and  operative  far- 
mers, hereby  make  application  for  a charter  for  a Farmers  Alliance  to  be 

located  in  the  town  of county  of State  of and  to  be  known 

as Farmers  Alliance,  No. . The  officers  and  their  addresses  are  as 

follows:  President, of  ; Vice  President,  of  ; Sec- 
retary,   of ; Treasurer, of  . 

The  applicants,  to  the  number  of  at  least  seven,  will  sign  this,  and  the 
Secretary  will  forward  it  to  the  proper  Secretary  who  will  return  a charter, 
and  the  Alliance  will  then  be  fully  equipped  for  action. — 

PROGRAMME  FOR  ALLIANCE  MEETINGS. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  make  some  effort  to  keep  up  the  interest  in  the 
meetings  of  the  Alliance.  There  is  nothing  in  any  of  the  laws  of  the  Farmers 
Alliance  which  will  prevent  anybody  who  is  in  any  way  engaged  in  farming 


Subjects  for  Discussion  at  Meetings. 


L 


'on 


the 

Gn  the 


operations  from  becoming  a member,  and,  therefore,  the  ladies  of  the  farm 
are  eligible  to  membership.  This  we  regard  as  fortunate  for  the  well  being 
of  the  organization,  for  woman’s  presence  is  not  only  ennobling  ^but  she  can 
greatly  assist  in  making  our  meetings  entertaining.  We  wouh  M^iggtthat 
a standing  committee  of  three  be  appointed  by  the  President  ^ 
be  to  provide  and  announce  at  one  meeting  a programme  for  ‘ event  this,  ana 
meeting.  It  would  be  well  if  this  programme  should  consist  of  cement  of  the 
pared  by  some  one  previously  appointed,  followed  by  discussion  c/i- tile  suojlgu 
treated;  music,  readings,  etc.  We  would  suggest  the  following  subjects  for 
essays  and  discussions:  The  right  to  regalate  the  management  of  railroads; 
the  injustice  of  the  present  methods  of  taxation;  the  defects  in  - 
laws;  the  incompatibility  of  the  existence  of  monopoly  with  the  p hoped  that 
our  free  institutions;  the  character  of  our  member  of  Congress;  necessity  of 
of  our  representatives  in  the  legislature;  the  relation  of  agricultu^  tice. 
industries;  the  duty  of  our  government  toward  the  farmer;  how  ^ 
schools  can  be  improved;  the  wrong  of  compelling  parents  to  p. 
prices  to  the  school  book  monopoly;  the  wrong  of  compelling  the 
ducer  to  compete  with  the  manufacturers  of  adulterated  farm  pro^ 
kind  of  live  stock  pays  me  the  best,  and  why;  the  profit  of  the  dai’ 
for  the  farmer;  book  farming;  benefits  of  an  agricultural  paper  in 
family;  our  duty  to  support  the  newspapers  which  support  us;  co-( 
buying  and  selling;  the  benefits  of  organization;  keeping  child 
farm;  horticulture  on  the  farm;  making  butter;  how  to  make  home  attractive; 
advantages  and  disadvantages  of  a collegiate  education  for  our  boys;  the 
training  of  our  girls;  progress  of  agriculture  in  the  West;  what  dangers 
threaten  the  producer;  how  much  profit  do  I make  farming;  the  duty  of  a far- 
mer to  take  an  active  part  in  politics;  the  duty  of  the  farmer  to  give  himself 
time  for  study  and  recreation ; the  wives  of  the  farm,  and  the  benefits  and  det- 
riment of  boards  of  trade. 

These  subjects  will  suggest  others  of  like  character.  So  far  as  practical 
farm  subjects,  of  which  a few  are  given,  are  concerned,  they  are  very  numerous, 
and  the  discussion  of  any  of  them  will  be  profitable.  If  a subject  is  selected 
about  which  there  is  no  division  of  opinion,  let  some  one  or  more  take  the  op- 
posite side  for  the  purpose  of  argument.  Intersperse  the  discussion  with 
readings  and  declamations  by  the  young  people,  and  with  music  such  as  is 
found  in  this  book  or  other  selections.  In  short  make  the  Alliance  meeting 
instructive  and  enjoyable,  and  it  will  not  be  long  before  all  the  farmers  in  your 
community  will  be  knocking  for  admission.  When  the  time  nears  for  the 
holding  of  the  political  primaries,  the  meetings  ought  certainly  to  be  interest- 
ing, without  much  trouble  to  arrange  for  them.  The  grand  object  of  the  Alli- 
ance—to  secure  proper  representation  for  the  farmer  in  the  halls  of  legislation 
— should  not  be  lost  sight  of.  While  we  are  members  of  the  old  political  parties, 
attendance  upon  and  a united  effort  at  the  primaries  are  the  only  promise  we 
have  of  remedying  existing  evils;  and  if  the  time  should  come  when  a new 
party  or  new  parties  should  be  organized,  which  shall  more  fully  represent  our 
principles  than  do  those  now  existing,  it  will  still  be  necessary  to  be  vigilant 


OuE  Objects. 


at  the  primaries.  The  primaries  rule  the  nation.  It  is  at  them  that  we  need  to 
expend  our  greatest  energy;  and  to  do  that  effectively  we  must  unite  upon  poli- 
cies and  men.  •<  Therefore  the  character  of  men  whom  we  propose  to  support  at 
the  support,  should  be  thoroughly  canvassed  in  our 

‘ ■ it  is  thought  best  at  such  times,  our  meetings  can  be  held  with 
mitting  none  but  members.  In  all  such  discnssions  do  not  enter 
is  debate,  but  enter  upon  the  discussion  of  merits  of  a candidate, 
partisan  prejudice,  and  with  the  firm  determination  to  select  the 
man  that  will  best  represent  our  interests  and  the  interests  of  the  country.  The 
time  was  when  it  was  difficult  to  do  this,  Mon  could  not  bear  to  hear  a member 
of  their  party  exposed,  and  they  would  shout  themselves  hoarse  over  a candidate 
K ^ was  destitute  of  a particle  of  sympathy  for  them,  and  who  when 
work  and  vote  constantly  with  their  oppressors,  simply  because  he 
t.<olitical  faith.  But  times  have  changed.  There  being  no  great 
/re  the  people,  such  as  saving  the  nation  from  dismemberment, 
is  the  sacrifice  of  every  personal  consideration  of  our  own  personal 
^ ich  happen  to  be,  however,  the  best  interests  of  the  country,  they  do 
ny  longer  that  it  pays  to  elect  men  to  office  who  encourage  mono- 
t us,  even  if  it  would  be  gratifying  to  our  partisanship  to  see  this 
t succeed  at  the  election.  All  things  being  equal  the  democrat  would 
democrat  elected  while  a republican  would  prefer  the  election  of  a 
repubiii!T  But  there  is  a very  wide  spread  feeling  that  regardless  of  such  prefer- 
ences, our  individual  vote  should  and  must  be  cast  to  insure  the  establishment 
and  maintainance  of  equality  among  all  men  before  the  law  and  to  guaran- 
tee purity  and  economy  in  government.  This  idea  is  what  constitutes  the  inde- 
pendent voter,  and  this  element  in  our  politics  is  becoming  very  strong,  needing 
only  concentration  to  make  itself  uni'^^rsally  felt;  and  this  feeling — this  de- 
termination to  vote  for  our  own  benefit  and  not  simply  to  gratify  some  aspiring 
demagogue  or  to  please  an  unreasonable  prejudice,  will  enable  us  to  sift,  in  a 
calm  and  deliberate  manner,  the  merits  and  demerits  of  candidates  for  office  and 
arrive  at  a conclusion  as  to  whom  we  can  and  cannot  support  at  the  primaries. 


OUR  OBJECTS. 

Briefly  our  purpose  is  to  secure  the  triumph  of  the  right.  We  ask  for  noth- 
ing but  what  is  right  and  just.  Railroads  are  a public  institution.  They  are 
built  for  public  service.  They  have  been  largely  built  through  public  contribu- 
tions, and  secured  the  right  of  way  upon  the  plea  that  they  were  for  the  public 
good.  Certainly  they  were  never  intended  to  become  a means  of  oppression,  and 
yet  that  is  precisely  what  they  have  become.  Their  charges  are  out  of  all  pro- 
portion to  the  value  of  the  service  rendered,  and  the  farmer  in  some  sections  of 
the  country  is  practically  shut  out  of  the  market  by  the  extortion  which  is 
practiced  by  these  corporations.  Justice  to  posterity,  even  if  we  do  not  regard 
our  own  interests,  demands  from  us  an  earnest  effort  to  put  a stop  to  this  unjust 
assessment  upon  the  producer  and  indeed  upon  the  public  generally.  The  con- 
flict in  which  we  are  engaged  is  a battle  between  justice  and  merciless  greed — be- 
tween labor  and  concentrated  capital.  This  is  the  battle  which  we  are  waging 


OuB  Objects. 


against  bogus  butter  and  other  food  adulterations;  against  the  claims  of  bogus 
or  extortionate  patentees;  against  unequal  taxation.  All  the ‘evils  that  we  are 
suffering  spring  directly  from  the  greed  of  capital.  Now  we  have  no  fight  against 
capital  as  such.  Nearly  every  farmer  is  a capitalist  to  greater  or  less  extent. 
But  capital  has  no  more  rights,  than  labor,  and  it  has  no  right  combine  for 
the  purpose  cf  inflicting  wrong.  It  is  our  undisputed  right  to  this, 

it  can  only  be  done  through  proper  legislation  and  an  honest  enforP°^®^^ 
laws;  and  these  things  can  be  accomplished  only  through  a united  ahtion"'n^P 
the  part  of  farmers,  through  which  we  may  undo  the  bad  legislation  of  the  past 
and  guard  against  similar  legislation  in  the  future.  None  of  our  demands  have 
the  slightest  appearance  of  partisanship,  and  hence  we  may  join  hands  W tho 
accomplishment  of  our  objects  regardless  of  party  affiliation.  It  is'^^P®^ 
every  farmer  into  whose  hands  this  pamphlet  may  come  will  see 
organizing  for  the  triumph  of  the  right  and  the  establishment  of  jus^®®* 

— >K> — , 

THE  WESTERN  RUR/iL 

IS  THE  I 

Medium  Which  Unites  and  Puts  in  Communicat'on  the 
Great  Army  that  Belongs  to  the 
A L I A X C E :VI  O V E M E X T. 

This  Journal  is  the 

Cheapest  Paper  Published  for  the  Price  I 

In  fact  it  costs  more  than  $2.00  for  each  52  numbers. 

For  Sample  Copies  address  MILT  ON  GEOBGE,  FuMsher, 


OU  li  PvULES  OF  ORDEll 

AND  

RALLYING  SONG  BOOK 

IS  NOT  ONLY 

A J^cvnvyal  of  fParliamentciTy  (Rules, 

^ BUT  CONTAINS  

Many  Appropriate  Songs  for  the  Use  of  Meetings, 

and  other  Useful  Information. 

lE^o&t,-^sij±€3Ly  OO  Oo2a.t:e»- 

Address,  MILTON  GEORGE,  Publisher, 

0HI0-A.C3-0,  ILL. 


( 


